VIRGINIA BEACH -- The Coast Guard has cleared the barge that was moored in the Sandbridge section of the city.

At 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, the Coast Guard released La Princesa from Lynnhaven Anchorage, Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads spokesman Lt. Jack Smith said.

The vessel's next port of call is Pennsauken, N.J. That's where the barge was headed when a cable connecting it to a tugboat snapped last week, causing La Princesa to drift into Sandbridge.

On Wednesday afternoon, a survey team boarded the barge and determined that it was seaworthy, Smith said. That team comprised representatives from Crowley, the company that owns the barge; Titan Salvage; the Coast Guard; and Crowley's insurer.

The survey did find that La Princesa has several structural deficiencies that will need to be corrected before its next cargo load, Smith said.

Tugboats, strong winds and an extra foot of wave swell during high tide helped dislodge the 570-foot-long barge from a sandbar close to shore shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday.

"It made a big bang, and it was free," Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Robert Birdwell said.

Officials said the barge did not cause any environmental damage.

Mark Miller, a spokesman for Crowley, said the barge was freed Wednesday in part because the salvage team made tremendous progress the day before.

He also said the effort had great support from local authorities in the Coast Guard, park service, police and fire departments.

"It's just a tremendous relief all the way around," Miller said.

About 6 p.m. Tuesday, three tugboats started pulling on the vessel in anticipation of high tide shortly before 8 p.m.

Smith said the towline to one of the tugboats snapped as the other tugs "valiantly continued towing."

The wind helped stir up waves Tuesday, which crashed into and under the vessel. More than 20 people stood in the dark near the barge, watching as the tugs pulled it left and right.

"It's moving," a spectator shouted. "Those waves are breaking up the sandbar."

Smith said the crew got about half the barge over a sandbar Tuesday.

By 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, however, La Princesa remained still.

During the morning maneuvers, several onlookers came to see the vessel, which got waylaid last week on a voyage from Puerto Rico to New Jersey. Clutching cameras and coffee, the watchers were out on a small section of beach north of the fishing pier at Little Island Park as the sun rose.